The Australian Open organizers revealed the first nine players awarded wild cards on Friday for the 2025 season-opening major to be staged next January in Melbourne.
Following last week’s release of the 2025 Australian Open main draw ATP and WTA entry lists confirming the return of defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, the AO organizers, Tennis Australia, announced the initial players to receive a wild card to compete at the first major of the season.
2014 AO Champion Stan Wawrinka leads the field; the relentless 39-year-old who won the first of his three Grand Slam titles at the event will make his 19th appearance at the major next January.
“I’m incredibly grateful to receive a wildcard into the Australian Open in 2025,” the Swiss asserted. “Melbourne holds such a special place in my heart - it’s where I won my first Grand Slam and is one of the greatest milestones of my career.
“The city, the people, the loud fans, and the electric atmosphere make the Australian Open so special to me; I am really looking forward to getting back on the court in Melbourne.”
The following eight Australian players complete the list of names revealed on Friday.
The women’s side will see former top-20 Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic in action.
“I am incredibly motivated and working hard to make my way back inside the top 100 and back to my career-high ranking of 20,” Saville said.
“The Australian summer is my favorite time of the year playing at home, and hopefully, it sets the tone for a strong 2025 season.”
Tomljanovic, a former world No. 32, is coming from a season of ups and downs, striving due to a lingering knee injury.
However, she built upon momentum in June, reaching the final at Birmingham, her first singles final in over five years.
In addition, she captured the WTA 125K title in Hong Kong.
Young rising stars Emerson Jones, 2024 ITF Junior World Tour Finals winner, world No. 141 Talia Gibson, and Maya Joint will join them at their home Slam.
“It means the world to me to play in the Australian Open main draw for the first time,” Joint outlined. “A massive thank you to Tennis Australia for making this dream come true. I can’t wait to play my home Slam, and it is extra special for me as my family is from Melbourne. I am so excited to have this opportunity to play in front of them.”
On the men’s side, ATP world No. 168 Tristan Schoolkate, Li Tu, who last year made it through the main draw from qualifying at Melbourne Park, and James McCabe will compete at the highest level on home soil.
“I can’t wait to showcase my best tennis at Melbourne Park before the home crowd,” Tu commented. “It will be a great way to start my year and set myself up for a big 2025, hoping for my best year yet.”
The 28-year-old shone brightly at the US Open in an entertaining match against world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, forcing the Spaniard to go four sets to defeat the Adelaide native.
Furthermore, WTA Chinese player Zhang Shuai and ATP Thailand-born Kasidit Samrej have previously secured their AO 2025 main-draw wildcards as the winners of the AO Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off.
World No. 138 Nishesh Basavareddy also locked his spot after winning the US Tennis Association (USTA) Wildcard Challenge at age 19.
Meanwhile, former top-10 Lucas Pouille has been granted the French wild card and will be in action in the Australian summer.
